Scottish Executive

Children

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children were referred by Children's Panels to services outwith Scotland in each of the last five years, broken down by service.

Euan Robson: No central record is kept of children placed outwith Scotland in order to fulfil supervision requirements. The principal services accessed in England and Wales are likely to be secure accommodation and mental health places. Some children from England also use places in Scotland. In respect of the secure estate, in particular data collection, service provision and management issues are regularly discussed with secure providers, registration and inspection bodies at the Secure Accommodation Forum.

Children

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the implications of the Court of Appeal ruling in R v Cannings for any child placement decisions where unexplained infant death in the family was a material consideration.

Euan Robson: We have asked the Scottish Children Reporters Administration to identify any such cases. Should any cases come to light we will announce any further action after this investigation is complete.

Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the final report of the task group reviewing the licensing provisions contained in the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 will be published.

Tavish Scott: I understand that the independent task group now expects to report in May or June. The intention is to publish the report and make it available on the Scottish Executive website. Ministers will thereafter consider the report’s recommendation and respond in due course.

Common Agricultural Policy

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to make an announcement regarding the implementation of the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy and what the timetable is for implementation.

Allan Wilson: An announcement is likely to be made in February on the implementation of CAP reform in Scotland. The decision will take into account the outcomes of the consultation process and the strategic objectives in the Forward Strategy for Scottish Agriculture. Further decisions on the detail will be taken once the European Commission’s Implementing Regulations have been agreed.

  The date for implementation of the new support arrangements is 1 January 2005.

Domestic Abuse

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what differences there will be between Scottish legislation on domestic violence and that in England and Wales if the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill is passed at Westminster.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The current position in Scotland is reflected in legislation which does not precisely mirror the provisions set out in the Bill for England and Wales. I will write to the member explaining the differences between the two systems, which are detailed and complex.

Enterprise

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4938 by Mr Jim Wallace on 20 January 2004, whether any evaluation has been carried out on the impact of inward investment during the years referred to, by either Scottish Enterprise or the Executive and, if so, whether it will place a copy of any such evaluation in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Mr Jim Wallace: A study on the impact of a sample of inward investors commissioned by Scottish Enterprise and carried out by the University of Strathclyde was completed in 2000 covering the years 1998 to 2000. The study contains detailed case studies of 30 inward investors and as such is of a commercially sensitive nature. Therefore it is not appropriate to place a copy in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Enterprise

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with (a) the Law Society, (b) the Institute of Chartered Accountants, (c) the Confederation of British Industry, (d) the Federation of Small Businesses and (e) any other business organisation regarding the use of the Scottish professional service sector by UK firms operating in Scotland but domiciled outwith Scotland.

Mr Jim Wallace: Scottish Development International, which is the lead body for inward investment in Scotland, will provide information on Scottish companies providing professional services as appropriate to UK firms operating in Scotland as part of a normal options appraisal. However, the choice of service provider is ultimately a commercial decision for a company itself to make.

European Funding

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether retrospective applications can be made to the European Regional Development Fund and, if so, which projects have successfully so applied.

Lewis Macdonald: Retrospective applications are normally not permitted for European Structural Funds. However in 2003, with the Commission’s approval, some projects in the current 2000-2006 Objective 2 East of Scotland and Western Scotland programmes were allowed to claim funding retrospectively, in consideration of the delay to the start of the programmes.

  A full list of approved retrospective project information is given in List of Projects that Applied for ERDF funding Retrospectively in 2003, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 30799).

Health

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to acute trusts with regard to the use of patients’ own medication for chronic conditions when patients go into hospital.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive has not issued any guidance to acute trusts with regard to the use of patients’ own medication for chronic conditions when patients go into hospital.

  The Right Medicine: A Strategy for Pharmaceutical Care in Scotland commits the Executive to explore systems which will allow, wherever possible, the dispensing of patient packs in all situations across primary, secondary and tertiary care. This should include the implementation of suitable medication self-administration schemes in hospital.

Hepatitis

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have died from hepatitis C infection since the announcement of the ex gratia payment scheme for those who contracted the disease through blood products in the NHS and who, although qualifying, did not receive any benefit from the scheme.

Malcolm Chisholm: We do not know how many people, who have been infected with hepatitis C in this way, have died since the announcement on 29 August 2003. In the case of eligible people who die between 29 August 2003 and the time when the scheme is in a position to make payments, payments will be made to their dependants.

Highlands and Islands Airports

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual expenditure has been on public relations and advertising by Highlands and Islands Airport Ltd since 1997 and what the estimated budget for such expenditure is for the next three years

Nicol Stephen: The annual amounts are as follows:

  

 
 1997-98
 1998-99
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
est
 2004-05
est
 2005-06
 2006-07


 
 £
 £
 £
 £
 £
 £
 £
 £
 £
 £


 HIAL
 32,703
 38,648
 51,263
 58,728
 57,661
 146,608
 192,381 
 173,000
 *
 *


 Support through HIAL from other 
  agencies
 
 30,000
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Totals
 32,703
 68,648
 51,263
 58,728
 57,661
 146,608
 192,381
 173,000
 *
 *



  Note: *estimated amounts are not available but HIAL’s 5-year plan shows that the figures will increase each year by inflation

Homelessness

Mike Watson (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it can further reduce homelessness, particularly among drug users and vulnerable young people.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive is working with those at the front line of delivering homelessness services to ensure the prevention of homelessness as well as effective responses where it does occur. The recommendations of the Homelessness Task Force are being taken forward and progress has been set out in the first report of the Homelessness Monitoring Group which was published on 28 January 2004. Progress is expected through the development and implementation of homelessness and housing strategies.

  Particular emphasis is given by the Executive to vulnerable groups, including young people and those with addictions. For example, guidance to senior managers of children’ services was published in July 2003 following extensive work by the Working Group on Young Runaways and Children Abused through Prostitution to encourage more effective joint working across all agencies to tackle the underlying issues which can cause vulnerable children to run away.

  Another priority is to address the health and health care needs of homeless people, including of drug users. NHS boards are required to implement health and homelessness action plans which outline all planned activity in each board area to address the health needs of homeless people. These are integrated with homelessness strategies, which were submitted to the Executive in 2003 and have been assessed for the overall standard and for the quality of health links. Action plans are also integrated into local health plans. Progress is being overseen by the health and homelessness steering group.

Hospitals

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many acute hospitals with consultant-led services it estimates there will be in (a) 5, (b) 10 and (c) 20 years’ time.

Malcolm Chisholm: More hospital care will be consultant delivered in the future and more care will be provided in local communities. However, it is not possible to predict the precise configuration of acute hospital services.

Information Technology

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will continue to fund the Business Broadband Incentive scheme next year.

Mr Jim Wallace: Under our broadband strategy, we are currently considering which interventions would be most appropriate in 2004-05 including a possible successor to the Business Broadband Incentive scheme. The scheme has been very successful this year, with around 5,000 applications received to date. To put this figure in context, the total number of businesses with a broadband connection in May 2003 was 10,000.

Justice

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a role for greater mediation in the civil courts system.

Cathy Jamieson: The Executive believes that mediation can contribute to the effective and efficient administration of justice in the civil courts. That is why we strongly support its use and are keen to encourage it where feasible and appropriate. The Executive already provides support and funding for a range of mediation and advice services. We are actively considering what further action might be taken to encourage greater use.

Justice

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support a proof of age scheme for the sale of alcohol.

Cathy Jamieson: I confirmed on Monday at the publication of the report on off-sales in the community that the Executive would endorse and promote a national no proof no sale initiative for Scotland.

  The Executive also continues to support the National Dialogue Youth - Young Scot Initiative, whose Young Scot Card was recently endorsed as a proof of age card by the British Retail Consortium.

Law

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the use of English law to govern contracts (a) wholly or (b) partially pertaining to Scotland.

Cathy Jamieson: It is a fundamental principle of commercial contracts that parties are free to choose the applicable law. This principle forms part of the Rome Convention, to which the UK is a signatory, as translated into domestic UK law. The Convention determines the law that applies to a contract where more than one legal system is involved. It supports consumers by ensuring they retain the benefit of certain types of rule designed to protect them under the law of their habitual residence, even where the contract designates another law as the applicable law.

  Scottish interests were taken into account in the formulation of the Convention rules, which bind all of our current EU partners. Consumer protection is a reserved issue.

Law

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty’s Government to promote and protect Scots law and legal institutions.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including the promotion and protection of Scots law and legal institutions.

Local Government

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will next meet representatives of COSLA and what issues will be discussed.

Mr Andy Kerr: We meet regularly with COSLA to discuss issues relevant to local government. My next meeting with the Convention is on 26 February.

Maternity Services

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost has been of nursing a neonate in an intensive care unit in each NHS board area in each year since 1996-97, broken down, where possible, into (a) type 1 maximal and (b) type 2 high dependency intensive nursing care.

Malcolm Chisholm: The specific information requested is not held centrally.

  Data are collected centrally on activity and costs for neonatal units. A neonatal unit is a facility which provides neonatal special care and/or neonatal intensive care for sick babies. It is not possible to separate the information into care types i.e. intensive or special care. The following table shows the average cost per inpatient case treated in neonatal units for years ended 31 March 1997 to 2003 by NHS board area.

  Cost per In-patient SCBU Discharge (£): by NHS Board and Financial Year

  

 NHS Board
 1996-97
 1997-98
 1998-99
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03


 Scotland
 3,683
 4,020
 4,028
 4,121
 4,559
 5,059
 5,169


 Ayrshire and Arran
 3,457
 3,589
 3,663
 3,895
 4,408
 5,328
 6,304


 Borders
 2,172
 2,682
 2,879
 2,523
 3,095
 4,311
 5,099


 Argyll and Clyde
 2,441
 2,602
 3,039
 3,280
 3,673
 3,656
 4,254


 Fife
 3,024
 3,115
 3,180
 4,354
 3,663
 3,970
 5,335


 Glasgow
 3,820
 4,040
 4,142
 4,272
 5,223
 5,746
 5,976


 Highland
 4,351
 3,395
 3,693
 3,874
 5,092
 5,552
 6,264


 Lanarkshire
 2,531
 2,833
 2,508
 2,740
 2,689
 3,728
 4,275


 Grampian
 3,112
 3,883
 4,076
 3,492
 4,154
 4,227
 4,249


 Lothian
 5,856
 7,826
 7,616
 6,585
 6,347
 6,960
 5,384


 Tayside
 5,769
 5,169
 5,583
 6,397
 6,358
 7,223
 7,569


 Forth Valley
 3,748
 3,725
 3,924
 4,306
 5,092
 4,258
 4,189


 Dumfries and Galloway
 2,506
 2,815
 2,791
 2,735
 3,049
 3,349
 2,331



  Source: Scottish Health Service Costs.

Museums

Mr John Home Robertson (East Lothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision it is making for the transportation of a Concorde aircraft to the Museum of Flight at East Fortune.

Mr Frank McAveety: This is an operational matter for the National Museums of Scotland who will make an announcement in due course once the arrangements have been agreed. The aircraft is expected to be ready for viewing by the public this summer.

  As previously announced, the Executive has awarded the National Museums of Scotland £2 million from the existing budget for culture towards the development of the Museum of Flight. The costs of transporting Concorde to East Fortune will be met from this money.

NHS Staff

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many paediatric (a) nurses and (b) consultants are employed in each NHS board area, expressed also on a per capita basis and as a ratio to the number of children in each board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: Details on the whole time equivalent and headcount of paediatric consultants and paediatric nurses, as well as the population by NHS board area, are available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, (Bib. number 30418).

  Rates per 100,000 population are also given. These rates should be treated with caution. The variability in rates between health boards can be partly explained by the number of consultants each rate is based on. Also, these rates do not take account of cross-border flows between health boards e.g. patients resident in one health board area may receive their treatment in another health board.

NHS Staff

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on the provision of nurses specialising in Parkinson's disease.

Malcolm Chisholm: NHS boards are responsible for planning services in their area and for securing the staff needed to deliver them.

  The Scottish Executive remains committed to building the capacity of the NHSScotland workforce. Under the Facing the Future banner £10million has been provided for a number of nursing initiatives over the last 2 financial years including funding for continuous professional development.

Police

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many full-time and part-time police officers there are in the Scottish Police Service and whether it has any plans to publish police officer numbers on a whole time equivalent basis.

Cathy Jamieson: Figures showing full-time, part time and whole time equivalent police officer numbers over the last three years are given in the following table. The Executive intends in future normally to give police officer numbers on a whole time equivalent basis.

  

 
 Full-time officers
 Part-time officers
 Total strength
(head count)
 Total strength
(whole time equivalent)


 2000: September
 14,653
 217
 14,870
 14,782


  December
 14,716
 232
 14,948
 14,863


 2001: March
 14,903
 246
 15,149
 15,059


  June
 14,851
 261
 15,112
 15,018


  September
 14,859
 278
 15,137
 15,037


  December
 14,808
 285
 15,093
 14,987


 2002: March
 14,941
 310
 15,251
 15,139


  June
 14,895
 330
 15,225
 15,111


  September
 14,988
 336
 15,324
 15,206


  December
 14,946
 341
 15,287
 15,166


 2003: March
 15,128
 359
 15,487
 15,361


  June
 15,191
 369
 15,560
 15,432


  September
 15,138
 374
 15,512
 15,385


  December
 15,226
 391
 15,617
 15,483



  Source: Returns submitted by Scottish Police Forces. Figures exclude special constables.

Public Sector Staff

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans are in place for relocating Scottish public sector jobs to Tiree and what information it has regarding the relocation of UK public sector jobs to the island.

Tavish Scott: The Executive is committed to the dispersal of public sector jobs and to improving the social and economic conditions of all areas across Scotland, including areas of most need. The Executive recognises that particularly in remote areas, even a small number of additional jobs can make a significant difference to social and economic conditions. Under this small units initiative, Tiree will be considered as a potential location for the relocation of public sectors jobs.

  The Scottish Executive is working closely with the Secretary of State for Scotland’s office to ensure that Scotland is well positioned to benefit from the outcome of the UK public sector relocation review which is due to report in 2004. Scottish Development International is in regular contact with the review team and is meeting all relevant Whitehall departments and public bodies to understand, inform and support their relocation requirements. As specific reviews come up, it will be possible to assess on a case by case basis what locations within Scotland may be suitable as relocation options.

Public Transport

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to afford greater protection to bus drivers on duty.

Mr Andy Kerr: Working closely with the STUC, employers’ organisations and other relevant bodies and agencies, the Scottish Executive is currently developing a package of measures to help address the problem of attacks on workers who provide services to the public. I have met the Transport and General Workers Union to discuss their concerns. This is being followed up by officials who have recently met representatives of the Confederation of Passenger Transport and the head of security at First Bus in Scotland.

  More immediately, the Scottish Executive is, through the Public Transport Fund, supporting the installation of CCTV cameras in all buses operating in Dundee and a trial in Glasgow on 100 buses operated by First Bus.

Roads

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route will have a hard shoulder and, if not, how much it would cost to add one.

Nicol Stephen: The Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route is being designed as a dual 2 lane, all purpose carriageway. In normal circumstances, this type of road does not have a hard shoulder. However, unlike significant stretches of the A90 dual carriageway south of Aberdeen, the new by-pass road, it will have a 1m wide marginal strip adjacent to the nearside running lanes. The costs of adding a hardshoulder have not been explored.

Roads

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty’s Government regarding the upgrade of the A74 from Gretna to Carlisle.

Nicol Stephen: The Executive is in regular contact with Her Majesty's Government on a range of transport issues in England with implications for Scotland, including construction of the M6 from Carlisle to Guards Mill at Gretna.

Roads

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is responsible for any part of the ancillary works in relation to the upgrade of the A74 from Gretna to Carlisle.

Nicol Stephen: No.

Roads

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has been made towards building a grade separated junction on the A9 at North Kessock.

Nicol Stephen: There are plans to construct a grade separated junction as part of a proposed developer-led housing development at North Kessock. Although this is a developer-led project, the Scottish Executive and Highland Council are contributing towards the cost of the scheme as there are benefits for trunk and local road users.

  The Executive is in discussions with the developer and Highland Council to promote this scheme. At this time, there is still no agreed construction programme.

Scottish Transport Group Pension Schemes

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) former members and (b) dependents of former members of the Scottish Transport Group pension schemes have now received ex gratia payments and how many have still to be contacted regarding such payments.

Nicol Stephen: To date the figures are as follows:

  

 
 Paid
 Not Yet Claimed


 Members
 11,085
 395


 Dependents
 928
 244


 Total
 12,013
 639



  Recent tidying up of the data has identified that we held a number of records showing apparently outstanding cases who would have received zero payments. As a result, 45 of the 723 cases included in the "not yet claimed" category in the answer given to question S2W-1237 on 24 July 2003 have been left out of the equivalent figures above. This means that 39 additional members have been paid.

Scottish Water

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Scottish Water over connecting new developments in Glasgow to the water and drainage infrastructure.

Allan Wilson: The Executive maintains a regular dialogue with Scottish Water on a wide range of issues affecting its operations, and these are not confined to any particular areas of the country, or to specific issues.

  In relation to Glasgow, the Executive is maintaining close contact with Scottish Water over city wide constraints, the Glasgow Strategic Drainage Plan, and developments at Garthamlock, Queenslie, Robroyston, Toryglen, Barlanark and Blackhill.

Social Inclusion Partnerships

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to assist social inclusion projects with funding.

Ms Margaret Curran: During 2003-04 Communities Scotland will provide core funding of £60.1 million directly to Social Inclusion Partnerships to assist in project funding. This level of funding will continue into 2004-05.

Sport

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the City of Edinburgh Council regarding the redevelopment of major sporting facilities, including the Royal Commonwealth Pool, in the city.

Mr Frank McAveety: There have been several formal and informal contacts between the Executive and the City of Edinburgh Council in the period since we launched our National and Regional Sports Facilities Strategy in March 2003.

Sport

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it will provide to the Scottish Tug of War Association for hosting the World Indoor Tug of War Championship in Glasgow from 19 to 22 February 2004.

Mr Frank McAveety: None. The Scottish Tug of War Association applied for lottery funding from  sportscotland towards the costs of hosting the World Indoor Tug of War Championship in Glasgow from 19 to 22 February 2004 but this was rejected in March 2003.

Tourism

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will now publish its review of area tourist boards.

Mr Frank McAveety: An ad hoc group of ministers on tourism has been examining the state of Scottish tourism, and the public expenditure devoted to it. We are considering the outcome of the area tourist board review in the context of these wider issues. We need a support structure for the sector that is not only right for today’s market but will stand us in good stead for the future, because this is an industry with a long term future. We hope to announce the group’s conclusions in due course.

Transport

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to support the development of an integrated transport system.

Nicol Stephen: We are actively developing an integrated transport system in Scotland. We are investing in public transport projects that improve integration and interchange between different services and modes of transport. We are improving travel information through Traveline Scotland, providing high quality travel information by phone and internet. We are supporting the development of the UK service Transport Direct, which will allow people to plan and book their journey, and check journey information in real time, all in the same place. We are also committed to the development of more integrated ticketing schemes, making public transport simpler to use.

Transport

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is represented on the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee and its Taxi Working Group and, if so, by whom, and how it is considering recommendations made by the committee and the working group.

Nicol Stephen: Jean Dunlop and Roy Hayter attend the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) meetings. They were nominated by the Scottish Executive for membership. The Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS) has a complementary work programme to DPTAC who are the UK Government statutory advisers on transport issues for disabled people relating to devolved transport issues. The Taxi Working Group is a sub-committee of DPTAC and DPTAC members are assigned to its membership. The Scottish Executive remains committed to improving transport for disabled people in Scotland.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty’s Government in respect of addressing any shortage of qualified HGV drivers in Scotland, in light of the impact of any such shortage on the economy.

Nicol Stephen: I am aware of the concerns of the Scottish haulage industry regarding the recruitment and retention of HGV drivers. Communication with Westminster is maintained on this issue through Scottish Executive attendance at the UK road haulage forum.

  My officials have also been working closely with Scottish representatives from the Road Haulage Association, the Freight Transport Association and Skills for Logistics in seeking ways to address these concerns. As a result, in the past year we have launched two training initiatives funded through the Scottish Road Haulage Modernisation Fund. These are: The Young Driver Training Scheme and The Scottish Driver Training Scheme (aimed at over 21s).

  My officials continue to meet industry representatives on a regular basis and are currently considering further initiatives to address recruitment and retention of staff within the industry in Scotland.

Transport

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been provided for "dial-a-ride" taxi or bus services in Fife in each year since 1996-97, broken down by organisation receiving the funding and the purpose of the funding.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has, to date, provided no funding to any dial-a-ride taxi or bus service in Fife.

Transport

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what direction and advice was given to Fife Council regarding the introduction of the Yellow Taxibus service operating principally between Dunfermline and Edinburgh

Nicol Stephen: No direction or advice was given to Fife Council regarding the introduction of the Yellow Taxibus service.

Waste Water

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to address the issue of odour emissions from waste water treatment plants.

Allan Wilson: The Executive is currently preparing a voluntary code of practice setting out best practice guidance for dealing with odour problems. We plan to consult on the code this spring.

  If the House of Lords decides to accept the appeal before it on the control of odour, the Executive will consult on legislative options. Once the result of any appeal is known, the Executive would then be ready to introduce new legislation if required.